Look at the first post I put up earlier today. The notes are part of the A minor pentatonic scale. That last note in your tab is the major third of D, (F#) it works, but mostly as a harmony note. The rest of it is right, I tabbed it out down in the open position because I was going off the "Garcia" recording.

tigerstrat wrote:Another vote for key of E. That was always the live performance key of the song, even the early versions.

I believe you are incorrect, TS. The vast majority, yes....but I think if you listen to Closing The Filmore East 4/29/71, you'll find it in D.

I MUCH prefer E. I also used to do that "swingy" intro sometimes...still do in rehearsal sometimes, but mostly play it a la 80s/90s.

That Vancouver '73 is sickleberry - I have that whole show somewhere. Bobby's guitar is LOUD for the day and he plays some of the sickest shit I've ever heard in the "Deal" from that show.

There was a Bird Song in Spring 91 I saw (Greensboro, maybe? Landover, maybe?) where they peaked 3 distinct times in the jam (took it to that D-D...D-D-D-D...D-D-D-D...D-D-D-D...D-A...E.... peak). Must have easily been 14-15 minutes long and one of the best post-Brent jams I saw. Cap Center 90 w/ Brent was a great one, too.

"Once in awhile, you can get shown the light in the strangest of places, if you look at it right." - R. Hunter

"If we had any nerve at all, if we had any real balls as a society, or whatever you need, whatever quality you need, real character, we would make an effort to really address the wrongs in this society, righteously." - Jerry Garcia

Bird song from Giants stadium--august 94, very impressive, Jerry runs thru his midi patches like a swiss watch,
and of course Houston 11-11-72? 71?
with the piano(fender rhodes) going thru a wah !!, nicey..nice

Seriously, this thread got me listening to alot of these and the Vancouver one still really has the sickest "deep space nine" treatment. Listen to the 10/17, 10/18 and 10/19/72 St. Louis shows. Sounds like 3 different bands. The Houston 72' show is legendary in so many ways, the Birdsong included!